It’s not every day that a team signs an All-Star former MVP with a still above-average bat and he gets asked at his introductory press conference about the hot upcoming prospect who will replace him. And yet, even as I watched Andy MacPhail cut in and save a squirming Miguel Tejada, I wanted the question [...]

How nice is it that an advance look at the Orioles‘ Opening Day rotation doesn’t induce mania? I didn’t do a position-by-position series last year. If I had I would have struggled to write a post on the starters. Reason being, in case you’ve forgotten, the O’s opened last year with the following five names [...]

Is Andy MacPhail a mad genius or just lucky? Probably both. When he left Steve Johnson unprotected in the Rule 5 draft this winter, opening the door for the Giants to rush in, it was widely viewed as a misstep. That all got erased today with news that the right-handed prospect is returning to the [...]

Jake Arrieta seems to have fallen in favor behind Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz (he didn’t even get to sit near them or step-father-figure Kevin Millwood in Spring Training!), and that’s surprising to me. Arrieta had a dominant half season in Bowie before struggling in Norfolk last year, though Dave Stockstill claimed that Jake had [...]

Two bits of troubling news came across the wire today. First, the revelation that Brian Roberts is headed back to Baltimore for another look at his wonky back. Then, Britt Ghiroli’s report that Nolan Reimold‘s running doesn’t look good (coupled, naturally, with word from the team that it’s no big deal). I wouldn’t say I’m [...]

It’s fitting that Nick Markakis patrols right field a few steps away from Adam Jones. I see them as two sides of the same valuable coin. Complementary. Different in many significant ways but aligned to the same purpose. Two talented young players that, in their own ways, represent the mixed bag of personalities and approaches [...]

There’s a lot to like about this team, as we know. A lot of talent, a lot of potential. Several guys with both to spare. But if I had to pick just one who most embodies the next era of competitive Orioles baseball, it’s Adam Jones. No disrespect meant to Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis, or [...]

It was nice of Josh Bell to go out in the first spring training game, the first instance of competitive Orioles baseball in five months, and hit home runs from both sides of the plate. The heir apparent at third base made a strong impression. Of course you can’t mention that achievement without the caveat [...]